Form One student loses eye to bullies

James Maiyo displays a letter from hospital and a photo in his phone of his16 year old son, Collins Kiprop, whose eye was allegedly gouged out after he was bullied by fellow students at Terige Boys High School in Nandi County. PHOTO: KEVIN TUNOI/STANDARD]

A student has lost one eye after he was injured by school bullies.

Collins Kiprop, 16, was taken to Sabatia Eye Hospital to remove his eyeball that was pierced after a beating by older students.

The Form One student at Terige High School suffered irreversible damage in his left eyeball when older bullies hit him on the head with a pipe.

"Five older students confronted me and three other Form One friends during games time. They asked us to kneel down, we obeyed. One of them asked us to sing him a lullaby as he slept, we did," said Kiprop.

"They asked us many personal questions and every time we hesitated to respond, we would get beatings and that is how one hit me with a plastic pipe on my head which hurt my eye," he said.

Kiprop's incident comes just two years after another student committed suicide by hanging himself in the school after he was allegedly bullied.

Kiprop's father James Maiyo has blamed the school for inaction and the Education Ministry for what he termed as "indifference to my son's plight".

"I have spent over Sh200,000 treating the boy. My son now has a disability that could have been avoided had the teachers been attentive," he said.

Maiyo is now planning to sue Terige High School for negligence.

However, Terige High School Principal David Litala said the story had been blown out of proportion.

"The boy was beaten by his colleagues for stealing biscuits from fellow students. While we condemn the fact the students took disciplinary measures into their own hands, I reiterate that there is no bullying in Terige," he said.

But Kiprop vehemently denied stealing any biscuit and gave a sad narrative of incessant bullying and threats to life by older students.

The embittered parent expressed anger that despite paying school fees for the whole year, Kiprop is currently languishing in pain at home, partially disabled.

"My son now has one eye. This may affect his studies. He also needs counselling for bullying and threats that he underwent," he added.

Kenya National Parents' Association chairperson Peter Maiyo termed Terige "notorious" in bullying and indiscipline.

Maiyo reported the incident at Kilibwoni Police Station where police investigations led to the arrest of five students.

The case is currently being heard at the Kapsabet Law Courts where four students were released on a Sh20,000 bond each while the fifth was released on an Sh80,000 bond with a surety of the same amount.